2 Kings 13 Jehoahaz
Jehoahaz is the first of the four generations of Jehu’s sons that God promised would sit on the throne. He didn’t promise an easy or blessed reign.
The reign of Jehoahaz of Israel was one fraught with disasters. He lost battles left, right, and center to the nations around him. His army dwindled down to next to nothing. And THEN he called on the Lord.
God listened to Jehoahaz prayers. Victory wouldn’t come in his lifetime, but his sons. And only after his visit with Elisha. Let’s rejoin our journey and see where the Spirit takes us today.
♥ ♦ ♥
Jehu sleeps with his fathers. Jehoahaz, his son takes the throne. Israel mourns for Jehu for the customary thirty days. Jehoahaz is hoping that he is half the king his father was, in the early years.
“Bring me the chronicles of the kings of Israel” Jehoahaz calls to his servant.
It is brought right away, and Jehoahaz begins reading the story of Israel’s kings. He truly wants to be a good king. He needs to be a strong king too. Hazael, king of Syria, began systematically attacking Israel and chipping away at her territory. By the time Jehu slept with his fathers, Hazael already controlled much of the eastern side of the Jordan, But they were not done yet. Hazael wouldn’t be satisfied until Israel lay broken and battered.
Jehoahaz is determined to see that doesn’t happen. One of the first orders he gives is to attack King Hazael at the edge of the Jordan. He sends his best troops out to stand against Hazael.
Five hundred thousand of the best fighting men of Israel camp on the western shore of the Jordan at Hazor. Jehoahaz is confident that they can push Hazael back into Syria. The very first day of battle leaves 25,000 dead and the rest of Israel’s army scrambling for their lives.
Jehoahaz regroups and tries again with results just as disastrous. Year after year and battle after battle, the mighty men of Israel fall to the swords of the Syrians. Each spring, Jehoahaz hopes for something different this year. And every spring, when the kings go to war, Jehoahaz finds himself running back home.
After three years, Jehoahaz chooses a defensive position only. He is just trying to keep from losing any more territory to Syria. But defense doesn’t work any better than offense did. Little by little, Israel is being ‘eaten’ by her enemies.
Israel’s army losses keep piling up. Ten thousand in one battle, thirty in another. And there aren’t enough men to replace those who are being lost. Israel’s chariots and horses aren’t faring any better. What isn’t taken in battle, is mangled, or outright destroyed as the drivers try and escape with their lives.
After fifteen years of constant defeat, Jehoahaz doesn’t think Israel will ever be able to win even one battle. It is nearing the end of the winter and he knows that King Hazel is preparing for another year of trampling on Israel.
“If I had the money, I would pay him off or hire allies. Not even Judah will come to our rescue” bemoans Jehoahaz. He shakes his head and calls for an accounting of Israel’s forces.
This task used to take days to complete, but this time it is done in less than a day. Jehoash is surprised to see the captain standing before him so soon after issuing his order of numbering Israel’s forces. He shakes his head and then speaks.
“Tell me what you have found captain.”
“I have numbered the king’s forces…” The captain stops as though afraid to go on.
The king’s shoulders slump as he recognizes the pained look in his captain’s eyes. “Just tell me”, he says in a voice full of defeat.
The captain squares his shoulders, as if that would soften the blow. “The king has fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and no more than 10,000 foot soldiers.”
The captain didn’t think the king could slump any lower until he finished giving him the numbers. Jehoahaz is crumpled on his throne. After a minute, Jehoahaz straightens up a bit. “Thank you for your report. You may go captain.”
After the captain departs the throne room, Jehoahaz gets up and starts pacing. “One more ‘good battle’ and Israel will have NO army at all. What am I supposed to do? My people are defenseless!”
Pacing is not bringing any answers to his mind or heart, so he goes out to his balcony and looks out over the land. His gaze is drawn southward and Jerusalem springs to his mind. “If only the Lord would stand with us.” After a moment this idea began to take root. He knows all the stories of old, how the Lord routed tens of thousands by mere tens of men. How He brought victory out of defeat over and over again for His people.
Jehoahaz starts thinking about how David repented of his sin and the Lord listened to him. “I have nowhere else to turn” Jehoahaz cries out into the night.
Broken, Jehoahaz falls to his knees on his balcony and begins to call out to the Lord God. “We have sinned and turned from following Your commands. And You are truly just in punishing us. We deserve NO mercy, but I am pleading with You to show us mercy nonetheless. I will lead the people away from the Baals and Asherah which You so rightly hate. I will call them to serve You.”
“Your people lay dying on every battlefield and are nearly defenseless. I cannot save them. We will be a byword if You do not come to our aid. You alone can save Your people. Raise Your right hand and defend Your people. Save us O Lord for none else can.”
Jehoahaz doesn’t hear an answer from the Lord but his heart feels lighter. He begins living exactly as he said he would. He calls to the people too. They don’t turn away from the golden calves, but they do turn from their Baals and Asherah.
As Jehoahaz’s heart changes, so do the results on the battlefield. Israel wasn’t ‘winning’ the battles, but neither were they ‘losing’ them. They were holding their own against Hazael.
The stress Jehoahaz endured took a great toll on his life. After seventeen years on the throne, Jehoahaz’s heart gives out. His servant found him in the morning. His son Jehoash buries him with his fathers in Samaria, then takes the throne himself.
(to be continued)
I had a hard time writing Jehoahaz’s story because there is so little information on him. We are not even told how he died. I had to make an assumption. He didn’t reign for a long time, so I figure that this reason was as good as any. I’m pretty sure he didn’t die in battle, as the scriptures would have mentioned it.
His life was wasted chasing after things that didn’t matter. Only when he sought God did he find relief. It always seems like people turn to Him when they are at their lowest point. Sometimes it takes falling that far before someone is ready to reach beyond themselves for help.
I cannot imagine not knowing God before getting to those places. Only because of the relationship I already had with Him was I able to trust Him in the darkest places of my life. And, YES. Those who know and love God DO have dark places. How you go through them is what matters. Do you try and bulldoze through on your own, or hold TIGHT to His hand and let Him lead the way? I’ve done both. The second usually brings me out of those places faster and with better results.
No matter where you are, cry out to Him and He will hear you. Seek Him and you WILL find Him, or better yet, He will find you. Knock, and keep knocking, and He will open the door of Heaven as well as the doors He has prepared for you in this life. Ask Him to lead you, to be your God, and what He would have you do with your life. He WILL answer. He LOVES it when we come to Him. Cultivate a relationship with Him and it WILL sustain you in the hard times, and bring you joy no matter the circumstances.
Father God, I know that I can bring anything to You. I have been struggling today with fear. I have an appointment that I have to keep tomorrow. I’m not afraid of the appointment, but the trip to and from it. I’m afraid of not being able to take care of my husband on my own. Of him having some need I can’t meet. Of being caught out in the dark while driving. I need Your hand on our day. Give both of us the strength we need. Help us get in and out of the appointment in a quick manner. And help us get home before dark. Clear the traffic in front of us. You KNOW that last one is a BIG ask, as we will be in the ‘big city’. But I KNOW YOU are bigger than ANY traffic jam.
Give me wisdom too, if You choose to alter our plans. Don’t let me push to the point of danger, trying to meet my own agenda. YOU are ultimately in control and I trust You to walk us where we need to go.
